Published 11:18 am, Thursday, August 27, 2009

In the ensuing two years, Santiago hired his staff, signed two recruiting classes and worked closely with contractors who built Benson Stadium and the Cardinals' field house. He also helped with fundraising and worked day and night to get fans excited about UIW football.

"It's been a long gestation period," Santiago said. "Now we finally get to see the baby."

The Cards open their first season against Monterrey Tech at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Benson Stadium, located on the campus at Hildebrand and Broadway. The game will be a notable event in the history of San Antonio sports, marking the first time since Trinity in the early 1970s that a city college has fielded a football team with scholarship players.

"I've got butterflies right now, which is good," Santiago said. "I haven't felt those in two years. I'm excited and I feel the excitement on campus. That's kind of where we're at."

Santiago said heading a start-up program is unlike any job he's ever had since he started coaching in 1978.

"Coaches are control freaks to begin with," he said. "But I know there are going to be a lot of uncontrollable factors once we hit the field. My thoughts now are 'Let's get a look at what we've got.'"

While Monterrey Tech has one of the best college teams in Mexico, UIW probably has enough talent to win its inaugural game.

"My expectation is to win, of course," Santiago said. "I know we'll have to make a lot of adjustments because you just don't know how the guys are going to react on game day. It's different than when you have players who played for you a few seasons. This might be a game where we look at a lot of players. It's almost like a preseason game for us."

Junior Thomas Specia, a Reagan graduate, will start at quarterback for the Cards, but Santiago said freshman Paden Lynch, from D'Hanis, also will see action.

Specia, a starter at College of DuPage (Ill.) for two seasons before transferring to UIW, freshman linebacker Dakota Mawyer, junior safety Ephraim Banda and freshman running back Trent Rios will serve as team captains for the Monterrey Tech game.

"We had a captain's dinner the other night and Thomas said he couldn't believe our first game is almost here," Santiago said. "He said there were times last year when he thought we'd never play."

Santiago said he has noticed a change in his players' demeanor as UIW's first game draws closer.

"I'm sure the players are getting butterflies, too," he said. "I see guys a little more quiet, a little more focused and more business-like," he said. "And that's all good."

Santiago, 53, is the only Hispanic head football coach at a Texas college or university. An affable guy with a keen sense of humor, Santiago keeps his players on their toes with his tough-love approach. He stays on them and demands accountability on and off the field.

Santiago chuckled when asked if he ever would consider undertaking the challenge of starting a football program again.

"You have no idea what it's like until you go through it," he said. "I thought I did, but I didn't. Would I do this again? If they moved the University of the Incarnate Word somewhere else, I would do it for the University of the Incarnate Word."